Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Mediterranean Shallow Coastal Fish Communities Along a Gradient of Marine Protection
| Autor: | Aaron Macy, José Luis Sánchez-Lizaso, Trey Spearman, Anthony R. Marshak, Just Cebrian, Crystal L. Hightower, Andrea M. Kroetz, Shanna Madsen, Kenneth L. Heck |
|---|---|
| Přispěvatelé: | Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ciencias del Mar y Biología Aplicada, Biología Marina, Recursos Hídricos y Desarrollo Sostenible |
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Mediterranean climate habitat diversity lcsh:Hydraulic engineering Geography Planning and Development Coastal fish spatial management Aquatic Science Mediterranean 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Biochemistry lcsh:Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes Demersal fish communities Marine reserves lcsh:TC1-978 habitat continuity Zoología Ecosystem Water Science and Technology Biomass (ecology) lcsh:TD201-500 biology Ecology 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology Marine reserve marine reserves Boops boops Chromis chromis biology.organism_classification Habitat diversity Spatial management Geography Habitat Habitat continuity demersal fish communities |
| Zdroj: | Water, Vol 12, Iss 1537, p 1537 (2020) Water Volume 12 Issue 6 RUA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Alicante Universidad de Alicante (UA) |
| ISSN: | 2073-4441 |
| Popis: | The importance of habitat factors in designing marine reserves and evaluating their performance over time has been regularly documented. Over three biennial sampling periods, we examined the effects of vegetated coverage and habitat diversity (i.e., patchiness) on fish density, community composition, and species-specific patterns along a gradient of protection from harvest in the shallow Spanish southern Mediterranean, including portions of the Tabarca marine reserve. With the exception of two herbivores (Sarpa salpa and Symphodus tinca), vegetated cover did not significantly affect fish densities, while habitat diversity was an influential factor across all three sampling periods. Overall, fish density was more positively associated with more continuous vegetated or unvegetated habitats, and was greatest in areas of highest protection (Tabarca II &ndash Isla Nao site). These patterns were usually observed for four abundant fish species (Boops boops, Chromis chromis, Oblada melanura, and S. salpa). Fish community composition was distinct in the most protected portion of the Tabarca reserve, where it was also most stable. Our findings align with previous investigations of the Tabarca reserve and its surrounding areas, and demonstrate its continued effectiveness in conserving fish biomass and habitat. Together with effective management, marine reserves can facilitate greater species abundance, more stable biological communities, and resilient ecosystems. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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